“So we’re all familiar and it’ll matter who can put together two or three good games in a row.”

Last season, the Panthers put together five good games in a row en route to the program’s first state tournament bid. This year the Panthers host No. 2 River Ridge/Scales Mound, No. 3 Galena, No. 4 East Dubuque and fifth-seeded Pearl City.

“I think we’re all pretty even,” Smargiassi said. “Some records are different than others but the seeds don’t mean a lot.

“Everyone’s going to be pretty competitive.”

Should RR/SM advance to the regional championship against Le-Win, it could be a close game. The Panthers won 8-3 in early April, but by the end of that month, it took nine innings for the Panthers to hold on and beat the Wildcats, 3-2.

Other than Eastland, no other NUIC team has come as close to beating the Panthers.

“They’re similar to us,” Smargiassi said. “They have a good No. 1 pitcher in Andrew Ertmer and they have some pitching depth behind him.

“They all throw strikes and have some experience in Josh Crist and Cody Landwer. They’re a team that can easily come out of that regional.”

Aquin and host Dakota, the No. 2 seed, have collided in either the regional finals or semifinals for the last last three years.

The Bulldogs have hosted and won the last two meetings. Barring an upset, the two rivals will meet again in the regional championship.

They split the season series, with Dakota winning 2-1 at home and Aquin winning in five innings in Freeport.

“The last two regional championship games have been killer for us,” Dakota coach Britton Kauffman said. “Before our win against Aquin, we were probably the underdogs. The last two years, they were probably the underdogs and we lost.

“They’re going to be tough.”

How tough?

“They have probably the best lineup I’ve seen them have since they’ve been here,” Kauffman said. “And (Anthony) Townsend’s tough to beat.”

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“I don’t know if it’s better as far as talent,” Aquin coach Todd Kramer said, “I just think we’re more consistent through the lineup and in the field. Years before we’d have three or four spotlight players and then fill in, but our depth has been pretty good and hopefully we can keep that going.”

Eastland will travel to the A-FC Regional as the No. 2 seed and will take on No. 3 Milledgeville Thursday at 4:30 p.m. The winner will likely take on No. 1 seed Amboy in the regional championship Saturday.